Jimmy Garoppolo: Patriots want first and fourth round draft picks in trade for quarterback
If the New England Patriots are willing to trade backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason -- and that's a big if -- interested teams must be willing to pay up. New England is seeking at least a first and fourth-round pick in return for their third-year player this offseason, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.
Garoppolo. 25, started the first two games of the 2016 season in place of the suspended Tom Brady, leading the Patriots to wins against the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins. The Eastern Illinois product surpassed most fans expectations with his strong play before suffering a shoulder injury in the second quarter against Miami. Before going down, Garoppolo was 42-for-59 for 496 yards and four touchdowns.
.@AdamSchefter says discussions for Jimmy G in a trade start at a 1st & 4th round draft pick (the Sam Bradford return)
— Kirk and Callahan (@KirkAndCallahan) December 28, 2016
The rumored price tag for Garoppolo has garnered mixed reactions from the New England media and Patriots fans. Some feel that Garoppolo could be the next dominant NFL quarterback and should demand a package equivalent to what the Washington Redskins paid the then St. Louis Rams to draft Robert Griffin III No. 1 overall in 2012. Others point to the poor play of Houston Texans' quarterback Brock Osweiler, who signed a four-year, $72 million deal this offseason, as a sign that teams may be less willing to break the bank for an unproven quarterback. While Garoppolo showed signs of greatness in his short stint as a starter, Osweiler played well for a larger sample size in 2015 and did not pan out.
One knock against Garoppolo could be his inability to play through his shoulder injury against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4 -- a game which New England lost 16-0 at home. Many saw this as a chance for Garoppolo to make a statement that he was dependable and tough, but the later revelation that third-string quarterback Jacoby Brissett played this game with an injured thumb only made Garoppolo's absence more noticeable. Still, Garoppolo has three years of tutelage under Tom Brady and Bill Belichick and enough experience to show what he can be, so there is no doubt that teams will come calling after the season.
[Beantown Beat :: Patriots Rumors: Brandon Marshall interested in joining New England in 2017?]The Patriots asking price for Garoppolo is not the main story from today, it's that he may be available at all. An earlier Schefter report from Dec. 23 stated that a source close to the Patriots said they would be "stunned" if the team traded Garoppolo, and that New England wanted to "ensure a successful transition from Brady to Garoppolo". However, Schefter also pointed out the group of quarterbacks that are likely to be available this offseason, a list which includes Jay Cutler, Tony Romo, AJ McCarron, and Mike Glennon. Given the problems associated with Cutler and Romo and the inexperience of Glennon and McCarron, Garoppolo is primed to draw the most interest.
The Patriots biggest roadblock in determining whether to keep Garoppolo is the man he is supposed to replace. Brady has been otherworldly this season at the ripe age of 39, the same age that the wheels completely fell off for his historic counterpart, Peyton Manning. If the league has taught us anything over the years, it's that quarterbacks are more likely to fall off a cliff rather than ride a slow burn to the end of their careers. This was the case with Manning, as it was with Brett Favre in Minnesota. At 25, Garoppolo doesn't want to go through the same experiences of Aaron Rodgers and Osweiler before him -- waiting for the legends that preceded them to retire or play poorly, or for them to be traded or become a free agent. Garoppolo can and will start in the league in the next year or two, and according to Brady, he has no plans to retire anytime soon.
Having Garoppolo behind Brady is a tremendous security blanket should TB12 get injured, but the chances the Patriots spend big money to extend Garoppolo and keep him as a backup are slim. The day will come when Brady doesn't play like Brady, but it likely won't happen while Garoppolo is on the roster. Looking ahead, the picks New England could acquire for Garoppolo could help build the foundation of a team that can win for another 5-10 years -- and the true Brady successor could be selected with one of these picks.
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